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Former Sweden footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic has defended Argentina legend Lionel Messi following Inter Miami’s elimination from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. In the round of 16, when Miami and Paris Saint-Germain squared off against each other in the knockout match, the former side faced humiliation as they registered a 0-4 defeat at the hands of the French club. In the first round, Paris hammered Miami with four goals and pushed the latter on the backfoot. Messi, who was expected to exhibit courage in the big game, got a few opportunities to rack up goals but Gianluigi Donnarumma displayed alacrity and prevented the veteran from scoring for his side.
Noting Inter Miami’s disheartening performance, Lionel Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Ibrahimovic blamed the legend’s teammates for the defeat. He said that Messi’s teammates looked ineffective which created pressure on the 38-year-old. “It wasn't Leo Messi who lost; it was Inter Miami. Messi plays with statues, not teammates. He's surrounded by players who run as if they were carrying bags of cement", said Zlatan.
He also added, "This isn't the Messi I know, if you put him in a real team, he'd go all-out. There are no coaches, no stars, not even players who understand how to move without the ball. If he were on a real team, any great team, you'd see the real lion. Messi plays alone because he loves the game, because he can still do what 99% of players can't. But this isn't the Messi I know.”
PSG to meet Bayern Munich again after seven months
After thrashing Miami, PSG will next take on Bundesliga’s Bayern Munich on July 5 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The new Champions League winners will have to be wary of Bayern Munich as the latter have an upper hand over the former when it comes to head-to-head contests.
Both teams have faced each other 14 times in which Munich have emerged victorious on eight occasions while PSG have won in seven instances. Their last meeting happened in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, played at Allianz Arena in November 2024 and Munich stood tall with a 1-0 victory against the Ligue 1 club.
